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[D.johns6]

I have had my DNS-325 for a couple years now and it just stopped turning the fan on and my SATA 2 TB Hard Drives almost over heated. Thank goodness D-Link is allowing me to exchange for a new box. Just wondering if this is a common issue with the DNS-325 units.

Appreciate any feedback.
Regards, DJ

[JavaLawyer]

I don't recall seeing any similar threads describing your issue, and I've been moderating the DNS-325 board since this model was released. Of course, this observation does not take into consideration DNS-325 owners who experienced this issue and do not participate in this forum.

That said, do you know whether the fan died of mechanical failure or whether the fan controller malfunctioned?

[Joe Public]

I purchased the DNS-325 device just because I was tired of the noisy/buzzing small fan of my previous NAS.

I have a very-low opinion of the small fans such as that one built-in inside DNS-325 (but also built-in inside my previous NAS). Small fans usually become noisy, dusty and dirty after only one-two years of working, they are usually low-quality fans, noisy and with low-duration.

I have no idea why many companies use small fans instead big fans (there are 8 cm, 10 cm and 12 cm fans on the market, usually high-quality/low-noise/high-duration fans).

Please keep me/us informed about this matter as I am becoming worried again for this kind of problem. Thanks in advance.

[JavaLawyer]

Small fans usually become noisy, dusty and dirty after only one-two years of working, they are usually low-quality fans, noisy and with low-duration.

I have no idea why many companies use small fans instead big fans (there are 8 cm, 10 cm and 12 cm fans on the market, usually high-quality/low-noise/high-duration fans).

I can't agree with you more. Smaller diameter fans must operate at a much higher RPM than a comparable larger fan, resulting in more noise, faster dirt accumulation, and a substantially shorter lifespan (than larger diameter fans). In contrast, larger fans can spin at a much slower RPM, while achieving the same net airflow as smaller fans running at a much higher RPM, are barely audible, and often outlive the device they are intended to cool.

The strain placed on the motor of a small fan operating at a persistently high RPM almost guarantees a shorter lifespan.

[Joe Public]

I can't agree with you more. Smaller diameter fans must operate at a much higher RPM than a comparable larger fan, resulting in more noise, faster dirt accumulation, and a substantially shorter lifespan (than larger diameter fans). In contrast, larger fans can spin at a much slower RPM, while achieving the same net airflow as smaller fans running at a much higher RPM, are barely audible, and often outlive the device they are intended to cool.

The strain placed on the motor of a small fan operating at a persistently high RPM almost guarantees a shorter lifespan.

I agree with you, but just for the reasons that you've wonderfully described, for me it is hard to understand why in this case D-Link (but not only D-Link!!!) used a small fan for DNS-325, that is half the width of the NAS chassis.
Instead this company may use a 6-8 cm high-quality fan in order to reduce noise and better provide ventilation to hard-disk drives (when fan runs at max speed, the noise is clearly audible).
Economically, for the company may be more expensive to use a bigger fan (also because it must be fitted into the chassis), but it is less expensive for support, because bigger fan needs less maintenance.
I know that in many countries the warranty is only for one year, but there are some countries (such as mine for example) that pushes vendors to provide with more than one year of warranty.
Anyway it is a waste of time to send the NAS to tech support for fan's replacement and if warranty is over, it is not so simple to find a new fan - also because it must have the same specs of the older one to avoid problems on software - software is calibrated to manage a specific fan.
My only hope is to avoid a replacement of the fan in the first 4-5 years of life for this device....

[D.johns6]

D-Link is aware of this issue that is how come they are sending me a new box. All was going well until   until the Sata Hard Drives lite started to flash and I switched the drives around and let them rebuild overnight , then the next day, I noticed that the fan was not running. I checked my software settings and realized that the temp was over 110 degrees and looked behind the box and realized the fan was not running. I had the setting set on Auto/Off/Hi and then switch it to the HI/Low Setting until they send me a new box. Do you know what the temp is supposted to be before the fan comes on automatically? It would be nice to know.

Thanks for your assistance in this matter.
Regards,
DWJ

[Joe Public]

D-Link is aware of this issue that is how come they are sending me a new box. All was going well until   until the Sata Hard Drives lite started to flash and I switched the drives around and let them rebuild overnight , then the next day, I noticed that the fan was not running. I checked my software settings and realized that the temp was over 110 degrees and looked behind the box and realized the fan was not running. I had the setting set on Auto/Off/Hi and then switch it to the HI/Low Setting until they send me a new box. Do you know what the temp is supposted to be before the fan comes on automatically? It would be nice to know.

Thanks for your assistance in this matter.
Regards,
DWJ

Unfortunately D-Link doesn't clearly describe the "Fan Control Settings" option included in Web Management Interface. The manual just says "If you select Auto mode, the speed of the fan will change (Off/Low/High) depending on the internal temperature of the enclosure". In this forum there is another discussion about NAS temperature ( http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=40803.0 )
All users anyway must properly set the other option "System Temperature Threshold" (System Management -> System Settings) in order to push NAS automatically shutdown the device when the device reaches the temperature inserted in above-mentioned option.
I just gave a look on Internet to know what's the max temperature for hard-disk drives, there are so many opinions, I just choose one on Seagate forum ( http://forums.seagate.com/t5/Barracuda-XT-Barracuda-Barracuda/hard-drive-maximum-temperature/td-p/17323 ), max suggested temp is 45 C (113 F).

[JavaLawyer]

I recall another thread discussing the temperature and sensors (amongst other things) here: http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=49400.0

[D.johns6]

Can I ask you how you have your DNS-325 Fan set at ? Auto/Off/Low/HI Or Low Hi Setting?

Another Question: when I switch boxes do I need to reload the Software too or do I just simply load the Santa Hard drives into each slot and go on as normal with the New Box? I don't want to re-format those drives because they are full of pictures and videos.

Any Assistance in this matter is helpful.

Regards,
DJ

[JavaLawyer]

Another Question: when I switch boxes do I need to reload the Software too or do I just simply load the Santa Hard drives into each slot and go on as normal with the New Box? I don't want to re-format those drives because they are full of pictures and videos.

I answered these questions in your other post: http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=50605.0

[Joe Public]

Can I ask you how you have your DNS-325 Fan set at ? Auto/Off/Low/HI Or Low Hi Setting?

Fan of my NAS is set to "Auto(Off/Low/High)" - this is also confirmed inside log file. I suggest you to check your log file to see what NAS does regarding fan: if NAS stops it, if NAS sets fan Speed to "STOP" or to "LOW", and so on.

Example of my log file:

09:41:39 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "STOP".
09:54:47 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "LOW".
10:15:00 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "STOP".
10:27:07 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "LOW".
10:46:19 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "STOP".
10:57:26 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "LOW".
11:08:33 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "STOP".
18:01:14 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan-Control Mode To "Auto(Off/Low/High)"
18:14:22 dlinknas fan_control: Set Fan Speed To "LOW".

Unfortunately hdd temp is not included in log file and the SMART test doesn't include the hdd temp, so it is not possible to monitor the hdd temp via email (only using the web management is possible to know hdd temp in real-time).

[JavaLawyer]

Unfortunately hdd temp is not included in log file and the SMART test doesn't include the hdd temp, so it is not possible to monitor the hdd temp via email (only using the web management is possible to know hdd temp in real-time).

It would be very useful to have the temperature correlated to the fan speed in the log files for analysis. Perhaps a new Firmware Wishlist entry?  

[Joe Public]

It would be very useful to have the temperature correlated to the fan speed in the log files for analysis. Perhaps a new Firmware Wishlist entry?  

Yes, I agree, it should be a new Firmware Wishlist entry - inside log whenever NAS writes a new line regarding fan, it should also include data about HDDs/system temp.

[D.johns6]

You have been a huge help to me.

Thanks for your assistance. Sorry about asking the same question in 2 different posts. 

Dean

[JavaLawyer]

Yes, I agree, it should be a new Firmware Wishlist entry - inside log whenever NAS writes a new line regarding fan, it should also include data about HDDs/system temp.

Added to the wishlist thread. . .